


Bedrooms and Hallways

by ajkal2



Series: Doorsteps-verse (aka that one where dave runs away to roses) [4]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, ITS ROSES TURN FOR TEARS, Teen Angst, feelings jams again, rose kills at monopoly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 10:56:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5494616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ajkal2/pseuds/ajkal2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose has been avoiding someone. Dave is nosy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bedrooms and Hallways

The first time Rose ignores her phone, you hardly notice. She glances at it, then leaves it to vibrate along the floor, returning to the online monopoly she's playing with the three of you. She owns all the stations and the green and blue properties, and has built hotels. You have the Utilities. And Old Kent road. And 100 moolah. What is the money even called in this hell game? Monopodollars? And how in the world does Rose have so much of it? Maybe she's like a siren, drawing in innocent little hats and dogs and irons and squeezing them until they pop and hand over the content of their meagre bank accounts. Or maybe you’re just shit at this game. 

 

You land on Mayfair. She grins.

 

The second time Rose ignores her phone, you notice but don’t comment. Jenga is an intense game after all, and of course she wouldn’t want to break her groove and loose to you and  her  Mom.

 

The third time Rose ignores her phone, you comment. The two of you are watching a film, some trashy vampire thing that is incredibly fun to tear to shreds. Or over analyse and reveal several ‘hidden meanings’ the film writers must have put in on purpose.

 

“You see, the apple is a traditional symbol of carnal knowledge, and the recurring usage of it throughout the film shows the desire the two protagonists have to do the do. The way it-”

 

“Yo, you going to pick up that phone Lalonde? I’d recommend opening with a nice line, one of the classics, and then staring into its casing and making eyebrows until it blushes as red as an LED can.”

 

“I’ll leave it. It looks like it's in a relationship already.”

 

“Cool. What is even… is he... sparkling? Is this actually… oh my god.”

 

“In the words of your brethren, you ain't seen nothing yet.”

 

The fourth time Rose ignores her phone, you confront her about it. 

 

“Hey Rose, why are you ignoring that phone of yours? Is it some asshole ex? A fair maiden trapped in a tower? The private eye you’ve got following John around reporting back?”

 

She rolls her eyes and glances at her phone, shutting the caller off with a flick of her purple nails. 

 

“Cold,” you remark.

 

“Dave, just… It’s no-one. Well, it’s someone, but not someone I’d like to talk to.”

 

“...OK, who do I have to punch?”

 

She laughs, and you raise an eyebrow. You’re not joking. 

 

“You don’t have to punch anyone. It’s my fault anyway, so…” She tucks her hair behind her ear, hiding her face. 

 

“Whoa, what’s going on, spill the beans. I can see those beans, all sitting there and ready to be spilled.” She sighs, and stares down at the lump of wool on her lap. “...C’mon, you’re the one always saying ‘You need to talk about your problems Dave’ and I know you ain’t gonna say one thing and then do another.”

 

She gives you a withering glance. “I’m not a hypocrite, and my problems are in a different league to yours.”

 

“Didn’t know we were having a competition,” you point out from where you’re sprawled on her bed.

 

Her laugh this time is bitter. “I wouldn’t even be in the running. That’s the point. You’re dealing with all these big problems, and I’m can’t even get over a breakup. I’m as pathetic as someone from a fucking  _ rom-com. _ ”

 

You sit up slowly. She appears perfectly relaxed, but her needles are clicking together almost violently. 

 

“...I saw something on the internet once that said suffering’s not a contest. My ‘big problems’ ain’t nothing to some kid living in a slum in Africa, but that don't mean they’re easy to solve, or not even worth considering. So get your ass over here and tell me who this douche you’re ignoring is.” You pat the space beside you on her bed.

 

“She’s not a douche. That’s the problem.” She sets her knitting down on her desk, and plays with her fingers in her lap just like Bro laughs at you for doing when you’re nervous. 

 

“What’s her name?”

 

She hesitates. “...Kanaya. Kanaya Maryam.”

 

\----------  

 

You stare at the needles, seeing her face in your head. Her cheekbones, sharp and high. Her lovely green eyes, complimented perfectly by whichever hijaab she’s wearing. The black lipstick she used to put on so that when you kissed her the colors wouldn’t mix. The way even her tears were beautiful as you walked away.

 

“I broke up with her.” You let that bitter laugh fall from your lips again. “The best thing I had, and I shattered it into pieces.” Your head falls into your hands. You hear the bed creak, and then Dave sits on the armrest of your chair, his arm awkwardly placed around your shoulders. 

 

“I’m kind of rubbish at this comforting thing, just warning. Uh, it’s all right?” His voice is very careful, very soft. You snort.

 

“No, it’s not ‘all right’, and it’s not going to be either. I broke up with the most wonderful girl in the world for her own  _ good _ , and she won’t stop calling me.” You don’t care about that rumour, you  _ don’t,  _ but you know that there’s a reason your relationship was such a secret.

 

“Maybe you should talk to her about-” You cut him off by standing, prowling around the room with your hands clasped behind your back, kicking a stray jumper in the direction of your wardrobe.

 

“We can’t see each other anymore. and we need to just get over it and move on and I can’t do that if she keeps  _ calling _ me.” Your words have an air of finality you did not mean to put there. You miss her so, and you want so badly to answer that blasted phone each time it rings, but you cannot.

 

“Looks like neither of-of you wanted to break up, so what’s th-the problem?” he asks, still perched on the arm of your chair, and you feel a sudden rush of anger at him.

 

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because her parents will kick her out if she even  _ thinks _ about being with another girl!” you exclaim, your hand flying in the air as you glare in his direction.  

 

Dave flinches away from you and starts into a defensive position.

 

You’re both breathing harshly, and you forcefully take a deep breath, close your eyes, and remember who you’re really angry at.

 

“Sorry. I’m sorry. I’m not angry at you Dave, and I’m not going to hurt you.” You step over to him and put your hand on the arms he has crossed in front of his face, pushing them down. “You’re just trying to help, and I shouldn’t’ve taken it out on you.”

 

“S’alright,” he croaks, “I’m an easy target, yeah?”

 

“That doesn’t make it OK. Sorry.” You lead him towards the bed and sit down, tugging him to sit next to you. “You remember your breathing, right?”

 

“In for seven, hold for seven, out for seven. Should be 666, that’d be funny. Fight off inner demons with the demon number.” He stops talking to breathe like you and Mom taught him the last time he had a panic attack, and you make a point to breathe with him. After a few minutes, he prompts you, “You weren’t done with those beans btw.” 

 

“No acronyms aloud,” He chuckles, and you nudge him, knowing he did it on purpose.  “....I love her. And I regret breaking up with her, but I can’t be the reason she’s kicked out of her home. And she wouldn’t have anywhere to go, anyway.”

 

“That’s her choice though, isn’t it? And Mom doesn’t seem opposed to taking in stragglers,” he breathes on his next exhale. 

 

“I don’t want to force her to make that choice,” you sigh. You know that you’re not being fair on Kanaya, but you’re barely 16. You’re too young to leave home, too young to survive on your own. 

 

The sound of a phone vibrating against wood rings out. You glance to your desk, and Dave pushes at you. 

 

“Go chat with your girlfriend. I’ll be fine.” You hesitate, chewing your lip. “Go. She won’t wait forever.” You rise, and pluck your phone from your desk, ducking into the hallway to answer it. 

 

“Hello? Rose?” Her voice is tinny, but still  _ hers,  _ and you smile.

 

“I’m sorry for not answering you Kanaya. I’m sorry for a lot of things.”

 

“As you rightly should be. I’m staying at Karkat’s, we should really do this in person.”

 

“I’ll come round tomorrow. I’ve missed you.”

 

“And I you, though you can be very stupid at times.”

 

You laugh. “That, I cannot deny. We have some catching up to do, love.”


End file.
